CHAPTER XIII 



WHEN TO FISH DARK AND LIGHT-COLORED 



FLIES 



For years much has been said by anglers and writers 

 on the subject of fishing about the use of different colored 

 flies at different times of the day. They have agreed fairly 

 well in their main ideas, which are, that dark-colored 

 flies should be used during the daytime and that light-col- 

 ored flies should be used in the early morning and evening 

 hours. 



They have not, however, differentiated sufficiently be- 

 tween water and weather conditions, or given reasons, to 

 make their views of any great value to the beginner at fly- 

 fishing. 



As a general proposition, irrespective of the waters to 

 be fished, the angler should use flies that the trout can 

 most quickly observe under the varying conditions above 

 mentioned, because the eyesight of trout is largely gov- 

 erned by these conditions. 



These are the physical conditions that exist: as the 

 trout are in the water, they see any fly presented to them 

 on the surface of the water, or a few inches under the sur- 

 face, through the medium of the water. The distinctness 

 with which they see the fly must necessarily depend upon 

 both the water and weather conditions existing at the time 



190 



